


Cardassians: Deleted scenes

by doseki



Series: Dragon's Backbone [1]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-14
Updated: 2012-02-14
Packaged: 2017-10-31 04:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/340154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doseki/pseuds/doseki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A slight expansion on a scene from the DS9 episode "Cardassians."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cardassians: Deleted scenes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darthbetta](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=darthbetta).



Sisko and Garak had both been watching Dukat closely since he stood up. Possibly for different reasons. Garak figured that Sisko was watching Dukat to see if he'd show any flicker of recognition at the accusations coming from Bashir. 

Garak, being Cardassian, was watching for much subtler signs that would no doubt go completely unrecognized by the Humans and the Bajoran, and Rugal, who had not been raised in Cardassian society. While it was necessary to have the doctor play his part in this grand game, Garak knew the dangers of putting him on Dukat's radar. Sisko clearly knew how to play the dominance game, and play it well, so there was no concern there. Bashir, on the other hand...

"Have you ever been to the Tozhat Resettlement Center on Bajor where Rugal was adopted?"

"Never."

Bashir broke eye contact, and looked over at Pa'Dar, something that Garak _knew_ Dukat would take as an opening if he could get it, and he took it, maintaining his piercing gaze. 

"Of course, Tozhat is the province where Pa'Dar was stationed eight years ago," Bashir said, as he looked back at Dukat.

"I'm aware of that."

Whether Bashir was consciously aware what Dukat was doing or not, he could not maintain eye contact, which disappointed Garak slightly. But he reminded himself that Bashir was only a young Human, and he was doing very well under the circumstances. Dukat's gaze remained on Bashir as he moved away, and it took a great deal of control for Garak not to issue a low, warning snarl at him right then and there. He had to wait to see how this played out.

Bashir ended up next to Sisko, which made sense to Garak. From his spot near Sisko, Bashir seemed to have gained some courage. 

"I've been trying to find records of Rugal's adoption, but they're missing from the files."

Dukat seemed amused and intrigued at the same time by the Human. Garak could understand _that_ too. "How unfortunate."

Bashir was clearly getting frustrated that Dukat wasn't playing along. "Yes, but we have found someone who was working at the centre at the time Rugal was brought in. Do you know a Bajoran social volunteer named Jomat Luson?"

Garak couldn't help being a little smug at this. After all, he knew very well that she had been one of Dukat's many Bajoran women. And Dukat wasn't a practiced liar like he was, so the "no" sounded terribly forced in Garak's opinion.

"Jomat Luson remembers Rugal being brought in by a Cardassian military officer. A woman who seemed familiar with him. Even knew his name," Bashir was saying.

Dukat studied the Human, and Garak didn't miss slight coloration that tinted his neck ridges. "Is there a question?"

Bashir had no idea when to shut up, but Garak admired that about him. Foolishly bold child that he was. His instincts had been correct about him. He was Human, yes, but he had a spark of life in him that was fascinating, and also an intelligence that seemed to almost clash with his naïveté in a way that Garak couldn't help but be drawn to. "The question is whether or not this officer deliberately left the son of Kotan Pa'Dar at the Relocation Centre with full knowledge that he was not an orphan. Perhaps even with the hopes of humiliating Pa'Dar someday," Bashir plundered on, oblivious of the warning signs that Dukat was displaying.

The coloration deepened along Dukat's neck ridges. "I wouldn't know."

Ahhh. When was the last time anyone had managed to make Dukat be so overt? Not that anyone but Garak could see it.

Bashir certainly couldn't. "Would you happen to know then of a base known during the occupation as Terok Nor?"

Sisko's expression showed a flicker of...something. Maybe he too could see the warning signs. Garak wasn't going to bet on it, though. Dukat's voice maintained its calm, but there was an edge to it that wasn't there before. "Terok Nor? It was here. This space station."

Even Pa'Dar was noticing Dukat's display at this point, Garak saw. Bashir, of course, was still completely blind to it. "Jomat Luson clearly recalls that the officer who brought in Rugal was attached to Terok Nor."

Garak took this point to make a deep subvocalization in his throat, well out of the hearing range of the Humans, though he knew Pa'Dar would hear it too. It wasn't a direct message, but the meaning was clear: _don't even think about it._ Dukat stared right back at Garak, and responded in kind with _I have no idea what you're talking about._

That would've been enough, if the foolish boy hadn't decided to open his mouth again. "Gul Dukat! Who was the commanding office at Terok Nor eight years ago?"

Dukat just gave Bashir a quick glance, and left.

Damn. Garak would have to do damage control after all. But he wanted to see if his pretty pawn would finish this out.

Bashir looked at Sisko. "For the record, the commanding office of Terok Nor eight years ago was Gul Dukat."

Once Sisko indicated that he'd heard, Bashir turned around to look at Garak. Garak had the strongest desire to go over to Bashir and _show_ him just how impressed he'd been. But how would a Human react to that? Bashir had been a pawn in this after all. And he didn't know that. Instead, he merely gave him a smile which no doubt the poor boy would misinterpret, but he could deal with that for the time being. There would be time later to teach him the subtleties of Cardassians, when he was ready for it.

Sisko showed some flickering of understanding, at least, and he _was_ the doctor's commanding officer. Sisko could have the honors this time.

There was a silence that followed, which was broken by Garak clearing his throat. He needed to get to Dukat before he escaped on his ship. "If you'll excuse me, Commander, Doctor. Pa'Dar."

The look on Bashir's face as he started to leave gave him pause. That same hopeful expression of _did I do all right?_ There was no time for reassurance just now, though. He'd have to make it up to the Human later. Now, there were more urgent matters to attend to.

Dukat's weakness saved Garak the trouble of using the computer to locate him. He had stopped to flirt with some pretty Bajoran girl, no doubt one of Quark's Dabo girls on the way to work, and they were just parting. Well within visual distance. Garak walked faster. Catching him in a turbolift would be ideal. If he could just manage it.

Dukat was moving slowly enough that it only took a few steps of jogging to get into the turbolift just as it was starting to move. Dukat gave Garak a strange look. Garak simply smiled. "Upper Pylon Two," Dukat said. "How unusual for you to come see me off, Elim."

"Computer, halt," Garak said, still smiling at Dukat. Moving faster than Dukat could counter, Garak pinned Dukat neatly against the wall of the turbolift, arms held firmly behind his back, and Dukat unable to turn his head enough to really see Garak. "I think you sometimes forget that you are only military trained, and I was in the Obsidian Order. Tsk. How sloppy of you, Skrain."

Dukat hissed, attempting to squirm out of Garak's grip. Garak's stocky frame hid muscle that far out powered Dukat's, and he shoved his knee between Dukat's legs and leaned hard against him.

Cardassian military uniforms were poorly designed, in Garak's opinion. In the front, the armor dipped down into a point, situated just so, that if you sat incorrectly, you could do some serious damage to your nether regions. No doubt they did that to make sure that their soldiers had good posture. Still, it was an advantage, and Garak knew that having that plasteel pressed just hard enough in the right spot would keep Dukat from struggling too much. "You knew exactly what I was talking about," Garak said, all the geniality gone from his voice. "I was being courteous earlier. Now I am _telling_ you. Don't. Even. Think. About it." He bore more of his weight down on Dukat, and Dukat gave a panicked sounding gasp. 

"All right, all right. I won't go anywhere near him." Dukat's response was a little too hurried and lacking the sincerity that Garak desired, so he inched up his knee a few millimeters. Enough that the sharp edge of plasteel coupled with Garak's leg pressed against his crotch was causing him discomfort. "I won't go near him!"

Garak let a little of his weight off of Dukat, his knee moving down fractionally. "If I you even _think_ about...playing with him, or entertain ideas of putting him in his place, you will never dare to set foot on Terok Nor again."

"I didn't think you were interested in Humans," Dukat said, wincing as Garak pushed his bent his pinned arms up a little further than Dukat could comfortably bend them. 

"It doesn't matter. I said stay away from him. You can consider this a reminder as to why you exiled such a dangerous man. And unlike you, Skrain, I know how to hold back. Just as I am, right now."

"Why don't you just kill me?"

Garak laughed. "Ah, but that would be so easy. If I wanted you dead, you would be dead. Though perhaps I should just let your fancy uniform castrate you. Perhaps you would think with your head more and your cock less. It _does_ land you in all sorts of trouble, doesn't it?"

"You're one to talk," Dukat hissed.

Garak suddenly bit Dukat where his shoulder and neck met, hard enough to draw blood. Dukat's yell was loud enough that it was fortunate they were between decks, though Garak wouldn't put it past Quark to hear it. And as suddenly as he pinned him, he let Dukat go, stepping back and licking the faintly metallic taste of blood from his lips. "I hope I have made my point clear for you, Skrain," Garak said. "Next time, I won't be so gentle."

Dukat reached up to touch his neck, his eyes narrowing, a growl pulsing in his throat. "I should have you killed."

"Yes, because you certainly would not be able to do it yourself," Garak said calmly. "Computer, resume. I'll be pleased to move beyond this misery of an existence."

It wasn't quite true, but Dukat believed him, and took the bait. "No. _That_ would be too easy. You _will_ live here in your misery as a _tailor._ I'll see to that."

Garak had heard this before, so he merely nodded his head in acquiescence. When the turbolift came to a stop, Garak stayed behind, having no desire to see Dukat off. He needed a drink, something to get the taste of blood out of his mouth. Perhaps he'd visit Quark's. He did, occasionally, though he preferred the relative quiet of the Replimat. For a drink, Quark's was ideal.

Besides, he'd have the Replimat tomorrow with Doctor Bashir. No doubt it would be as entertaining as always. Perhaps even more so, with their recent shared experience. Though Garak wasn't going to count on it. It would definitely take time before the young doctor realized that Garak's interest in him was more than what it seemed.

It could wait.


End file.
